Lee anderson



(No Model.)

L. ANDERSON.

' HAME.

N0, 550,036. Patented N0v..19, 1895.

AN BREW B.GRAHAM.PHOTO-UTNQWASIIIINGI'OND C.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE ANDERSON, OF PARIS, TEXAS, ASSI GNOR OF ONE-HALF TO H. H. KIRKPATRICK, OF SAME PLACE.

HAM E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,036, dated November 19, 1895.

Application filed Septemb 10, 1895. Serial No. 562,048. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, LEE ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paris, in the county of Lamar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hames 5 and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains-to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is directed to improvements in harness-hames and contemplates the provision of improved means forming a part of the hames for securing the trace-chains thereto; also the provision of an improved trace-link adapted for connection with said securing means in a manner to insure maximum strength.

The nature of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a hame embodying the improved securing means. Fig. 2 is a front view, partially broken away. Fig. 3 is a side view showing the improved trace-link in position, and Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the improved trace-link.

Referring to the said drawings by letter, A denotes the hame, and B is a staple secured thereto, preferably by passing the staple ends through the hames and upsetting the same.

0 is a wear-plate secured by riveting or otherwise to the hame between the staple ends, and having two slots 0 c and an offset or ridge 0 between the slots, as shown. Recesses are made in the hame coincident with the slots and offset in the plate, and form with the latter a bearing or seat for a latch D, which is in general form U-shaped, thereby providing two tongues (56 d, which in practice may be moved into contact with the staple, or by a quarter-turn to be moved in contact with the wear-plate, the slots through which said tongues project being of sufficient length to permit of the latter position.

The ordinary trace-chain is sufficiently illustrated at E, one of its links 6 being shown in engagement with the upper tongue of the latch; but, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, said link may be securedby the lower tongue and thereby change the line of draft when required. In the operation of securing the link to the hame said link is passed through the staple, and by pressure on the tongue the latter is caused to move sufliciently away from the staple to permit of its receiving the link, when by a pull on the trace the tongue is caused to move backward into engagement with the staple and the link is thereby secured, and can only be released by again moving the tongue forward and slipping ofi the link, thus precluding accidental displacement.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a peculiar form of link especially adapted for heavy draft, inasmuch as by its construction both tongues are engaged and the strain is equally distributed. The link is shown at F, and is of double-U form, providing two eyes f f, one for each tongue d, and is engaged centrally by a link of a chain trace or by an eye g secured to a leather trace, as G. The operation of connecting this double link is similar to that previously described in reference to the single-link trace, the tongues being first moved away from the staple, and after receiving the eyes f f moved backward into engagement with the staple. .Aside from the advantage of great strength by the use of the improvement, it is very durable, inasmuch as the wear is distributed on the eyes, and at the point of engagement of the link with the eye of the trace a double thickness of metal is presented, which insures maximum durability and strength and aflt'ords a temporary connection should a part of the link become broken through wear or other causes.

The feature of adjustability of the line of draft is important and involves a simple operation, which may be effected while the horse is in harness and without loosening or moving any part other than the traces, as it is only necessary to disengage the link from one hook and transfer it to another," and in connection with this it may be stated that any posed between the offset and arecess and hav- 1 5 ing' a plurality of tongues projecting beyond said slots.

In combination with trace or tug :[astoner having a plurality of pivoted tongues, a trace link having a plurality of eyes for engagement with said tongues.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEE ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

.T. J. BRENT, D. R. BLAIR. 

